MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED
TO
THE X PAY REVISION COMMISSIONER
GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH
HYDERABAD
AUGUST 2013
ANDHRA PRADESH AGRICULTURAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
109, TIRUMALA APARTMENTS
BASHEERBAGH, HYDERABAD
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION:
Indian Agriculture received little attention either by the colonial Governments or the
National Governments after Independence. Nevertheless to say that more than 70% of
the population depends directly on Agriculture and 80% indirectly on it are the deciding
factors to handle the economy of the country.
With this broad-based basics agricultural sector has been neglected by both the
state and central governments. Inspite of the step motherly attitude the scientists and the
extension wings of the agricultural departments turned every stone and brought out the
"Green revolution in the country. Had there been little importance to this alphabetically
first department the said revolution would have spouted much early after independence.
Inspite of the poor budget provisions and little scope of development provided, the
department has maintained food sustenance as on date, which can be viewed through
the elimination of hunger deaths. It is rather a higher sad story that the agricultural
scientists or the field workers were not given proper importance or due recognition for
their services intern equivalent monetary benefits through the perks of emoluments paid
to them.
Thanks to the state and central governments for having decided to constitute Pay
Revision commission at periodic intervals to suggest the governments on the pay
structure improvements of service conditions, formation of infrastructure facilities,
providing minimum required service amenities and the like.
We the AP Agricultural Officers Association wishes to place on record the services
rendered by the senior most administrator Sri P.K Agarwal garu IAS who is now heading
the present pay revision commission.
It is an established fact that all the previous P.R.Cs and anomaly committees were
purely biased and sincerely reluctant towards technical departments while administrative
departments were highly honored and their interests totally protected One such technical
department which lost its glory is the Department of Agriculture in its existence and
importance.
The association is of the greatest aspiration and fond hope that the present
Commissioner Sri P.K Agarwal IAS will at least give due recognition and placement to
the Agriculture Department.
CHAPTER II
RECOMMENDATIONS OF VARIOUS COMMISSIONS:
With out any considered exceptions all the expert committees, advisory
commissions instituted to study the problems connected with the agricultural scenario and
to suggest the Governments have univocally stated that the technical cadres in the
Agriculture department have been treated as secondary to administrative cadres.
The Ford foundation team has also pointed out several ills in Indian Agriculture due
to poor service conditions and belated salaries in the Agriculture department.
Even the Agriculture Administrative (Nalgarh) Committee, 1958 have also pointed
out that the scales of pay of the technical cadres in Agricultural departments from
Agricultural Officer to Addl. Director of Agriculture shall be on par with other equal cadres
in the sister technical departments and are step ahead of comparative administrative
cadres.
The National commission of Agriculture headed by Sri Sivaram observed that in
many states the technical cadres in Agricultural department are being treated as poor
relatives by administrative cadres in this pay structure and other amenities. It was also
stated that because of this reasons the technical cadres in the Agricultural department do
not attract the best brains to serve this village based industry. Shall we not recall
ourselves to the preachings of Mahatma Gandhi and his dreams as the village
developments backboned by Agriculture.
The then Union Agricultural Minister in 1988 convened a workshop for all the state
Agricultural Ministers and the forum recommended for the immediate steps to be initiated
to improve the status of Agricultural functionaries for a remunerative pay scale and
comparable status as in medical and engineering wings.
The state Government having recognized the agricultural proficiency as technical
cadre has tied up the agricultural academic courses on par with Medical, Engineering and
Veterinary, which is evident from the EAMCET examination. It is the responsibility of this
association to project the status and the stage of the Agricultural officer in the earlier pay
revision commission, where in greatest injustice was done to the cadre of Agriculture
officers.
An alround hue and cry was there for a better placement for status and pay scales
to the Agriculture Officer in the Dept. of Agriculture in tune with the recommendations of
several committees narrated supra. It is hoped that the present PRC will view the
deliberate dethroning technical competencies as National discriminations, uphold
provisions of the constitution of India as a fundamental right.
CHAPTER III
REVIEW OF PAY REVISIONS MADE SO FAR:
In all (12) Pay Revision Commissions were constituted from the year of
independence till 2004(1947,1958,1961,1964,1969,1974,1978,1986,1993,1998, 2004
and 2009).
It is rather highly insulting in the Agricultural profession that except the first three
P.R.Cs all other have severally and combinely trusted injustice to the Agriculture
graduates compared to veterinary, Engineering and Medical graduates. It is unfortunate
that differences were created between these technical departments, through a scale of
study courses, number of years of study etc. It should be born in mind that each faculty
will have its own syllabus as is specified and shall not bear any reference to its length of
study or number of semesters. Is that an IAS officer underwent ten semesters of study
course? Or shall he underwent any classroom teaching except involving in coaching
programmes? If this were to be true the present commissioner may kindly think of how
best the Agriculture graduates can be brought forward of many administrative cadres.
CHAPTER- IV
PAY STRUCTURE:
1.
Qualification for recruitment as Agrl. Officer is B.Sc (Ag) and mode of selection for
eligible candidates for admission to B.Sc (Ag) course is through EAMCET only as in the
case of admission to MBBS, BDS & BVSc, also Agril. Offcers, Civil Asst. Surgeons
(Medical Officer), Veterinary Asst Surgeons are all Mandal Level Gazetted Officers.
2.
Civil Asst. Surgeons and Veterinary Asst. Surgeons generally work in their offices
/ Hospitals as per their time schedules but not entrusted with other activities. Whereas the
Agrl. Officers in addition to their regular Agrl. Extension work, Quality Control of inputs
and other departmental works are also entrusted with other un-connected jobs like
incharge of MPDOs, special officers, Supervision of enumeration of Electoral rolls,
distribution of ration cards, Indiramma programmes, Agril Produce purchase centres etc.,
Even though these jobs are unconnected to their regular job chart. Agril. Officers are
graciously accepting them and discharging to the much satisfaction of Government.
3.
Since there was disparity in pay structure of Agrl. Officers (16150-42590)
compared to Veterinary Asst. Surgeons (18030-43630) and Civil Asst. Surgeins, we have
represented and discussed with eigth pay revision commission (PRC 2005) in a
convincing manner resulting in keeping of Agrl. Officers and Veterinary Asst. Surgeons at
same pay category (9285-19775) in PRC 2005.
4.
Even though the Pay categories of Agril Officers, Deputy Director of Agriculture &
Joint Director of Agriculture were kept at same level in PRC 2004 compared to similar
cadres in Veterinary Department, there was anamoly in pay category of Asst. Director of
(AH) (10285-21835) compared to pay category of Asst. Director of (AH) (10845-25600) in
PRC 2004. This was brought to the notice of PRC 2004 Anomalies Committee, which
after careful consideration of our representation removed the anomaly and the pay
category of Asst. Director of Agriculture was revised to same category of Asst. Director
(AH) (10845-25600).
5.
We have been requesting the pay revision commissions for the last so many years
to keep parity in the pay scales between similar cadres of our Department and Animal
Husbandry Department explaining the reasons justifying our plea. There is only one post
of Agricultural Officer per Mandal and the Agricultural Officers, apart from the regular
responsibilities assigned as per the job chart, also performing so many other assignments
like special officers etc as and when entrusted by the District Collectors. In almost all the
Mandals there are more than one Veterinary Asst. Surgeon per Mandal with the
jurisdiction of only a few villages and generally they are not assigned with any other
responsibilities.
6.
We could successfully convince the PRC-2005 which kept the pay scales of
Agricultural officers and Joint Director of Agriculture, at par with similar cadres of Animal
Husbandry Department. Since there was disparity in the pay scales of Asst. Director of
Agriculture and Deputy Director of Agriculture with similar cadres of Animal Husbandry
Department. In PRC 2005 the issue was represented to the Anomalies committee, 2008
which was convinced and improved the pay scales of Asst. Director of Agriculture and
Deputy Director of Agriculture keeping parity with similar cadres of Animal Husbandry
Department. In result the pay scales of officers of Agril Department from Agricultural
Officer to Joint Director of Agriculture are kept at par with similar cadres of Animal
Husbandry Department in PRC 2005. This gesture has removed so much of unrest in
officers of Department of Agriculture.
7.
We have represented to the PRC-2009 to only maintain the parity of our pay
scales with similar cadres of the Animal Husbandry Department as was agreed
upon and accepted by PRC-2005 and anomalies committee, 2008. We have not
demanded for any thing more.
8.
When we have seen the recommendation of PRC-2009, we came to know that our
plea to keep scales of our cadres with similar cadres of Animal Husbandry Department
was not considered, except for the cadre of Joint Director of Agriculture.
9.
The PRC-2009 made the following observation and fixed the scales of our officers
and those of Animal Husbandry Department as detailed below: “We do agree that at the
entry level the Veterinary Asst Surgeons always enjoyed a higher pay than the Agril.
Officer all along, though at the level of the Asst. Director and Deputy Director there was
parity between the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Departments.”
Comparison of Pay Structure:
Sl
Year of
Agril.
Veterinary
Assistant
Assistant
Deputy
Deputy
Joint
Joint
PRC
Officer
Assistant
Director of
Director
Director of
Director
Directo
Director
Surgeons
Agril.
(A.H)
Agrl
(A.H)
r of
(A.H)
No
Agril
1
1974
2
1978
3
1986
4
1993
5
1998
6
2005
7
2009
900-
1100-
1100-
1450
1650
1650
1300-
1500-
1500-
1900
2100
2100
2410-
2690-
2690-
4050
4440
4440
4400-
5390-
5390-
8700
8980
8980
8400-
10250-
10250-
16525
17050
17050
13390-
13390-
15025-
15025-
25600
28500
28500
26615
26615
19050-
20680-
23650-
25600-
27000-
27000-
45850
46960
49360
50560
51760
51760
530-1050
700- 1200
750 - 1300
900 – 1450
800-1450
1050-1600
1150-1700
1300-1900
1550-3050
1980-3500
1980-3500
2410-4050
3310-6840
3640-7580
3640-7580
4400-8700
6350-13000
6950-14425
9285-
9285-
10845-
10845-
19775
19775
25600
16150-
18030-
42590
43630
480-900
750-1300
13802780
31106380
598012100
695014425
8400-16525
In this context, it is also worthwhile to consider the pay scales in the early periods.
Sl
Year of
Agril.
Veterinary
Assistant
Assistant
No
PRC
Officer
Assistant
Director of
Director
Surgeons
Agril.
(A.H)
Rs.60/- start
-
-
100-start
140-start
-
-
1
Pre 1947
Rs.75/start
2
1947 pay
scales
10.
3
1958
150-300
180-350
250-600
250-600
4
1961
200-400
220-425
325-700
325-700
5
1964
230-400
250-400
350-750
350-750
6
1969
250-500
300-600
400-480
400-480
While recommending higher scales of pay to veterinary Asst. surgeons, the PRC-
2009 observed that “The Association (of VAS) have taken serious exception to the
2005 pay Commission equating them with the Agricultural officers on the ground
that the Veterinary Asst. Surgeons always enjoyed higher pay scale than the
Agricultural officers”.
11.
It is reasonable if any Association requests for higher pay scales. But there is no
point in the Association of Veterinary Asst. Surgeons taking serious objection to the
PRC-2005 in equating them with the Agricultural Officers and we also take objection to
PRC-2009 in giving importance to the above objection of Veterinary Asst. Surgeons
which is not justifiable. Instead, the PRC-2009 should have appreciated the gesture of
PRC-2005 which has considered our plea in keeping parity between the scales of these
two Departments, which are equally important in the uplift of economic status of farming
community.
12.
It is also beyond reasonableness that the PRC-2009 has recommended higher
pay scales to the first three cadres of Animal Husbandry Department i.e. Veterinary
Asst. Surgeon, Asst. Director (A.H) and Deputy Director (AH) than the similar cadres of
Agricultural Department. But recommended same pay scale to Joint Director in both the
Departments.
Request for consideration:
In pre 1947 scales Agril Officers had higher pay than Veterinary Asst.
Surgeon. Afterwards Veterinary Asst. Surgeons had higher pay than Agril. Officer. Even
from the start of PRCs till PRC-2005, all other three cadres i.e Asst Directors, Deputy
Directors and Joint Directors in both the Departments has similar pay scales. The PRC
2005 removed the decades old anomaly between pay scale of Agril Officers and
Veterinary Asst. Surgeons and recommended similar pay scales. The Anomalies
Committee of PRC 2005 recommended for removal of anomaly in pay scales of
Assistant Director of Agriculture and Assistant Director (Animal Husbandry), Deputy
Director of Agriculture and Deputy Director (Animal Husbandry) and recommended
similar pay scales. There is no justification in the recommendation of PRC 2009
proposing lower pay scales to Agril. Officer, Assistant Director of Agriculture and Deputy
Director of Agriculture compared to similar cadres in Animal Husbandry Department
while recommending similar pay scale to Joint Director of Agriculture and Joint Director
of Animal Husbandry.
Hence considering the above submission we request the Hon’ble Pay revision
Commissioner to kindly examine and sympathetically consider to recommend similar
pay structure to Agricultural Officers, Asst. Director of Agriculture and Deputy Director of
Agriculture to similar cadres of Animal Husbandry department i.e.Veterinary Asst.
Surgeon, Asst. Director (AH) and Deputy Director (AH) respectively and remove the
anomaly that arose with the recommendation of PRC-2009.
It is not out of context to mention that the P.R.C 1993 headed by Sri D. Sankar
Uru Swamy, I.A.S paid a patient hearing to the presentations of this Association and
having been convinced of the colossal injustice done to this department, he has boldly
pinpointed that the scale of the Agricultural Officer shall be on par with other Technical
Cadres. However Political intrusions neutralized the said observations and by passed
the recommendations of the said committee.
A.P. being the Rice bowl of South India is totally neglected by the Central and
State Governments, while tackling with the problem of Agricultural Crop Productions. The
resultant effect is the committance of suicides by the farmers of A.P., which has attracted
the personal attention of Dr. Man Mohan Singh, Honourable Prime Minister and also Smt.
Sonia Gandhi.
We request the present Commission to have a critical and in depth study of the
anomalies created during the course of implementation of the recommendations of earlier
P.R.Cs and suggest appropriate and suitable recommendations to the State Government
which redress the injustice done in the previous instances to the field level Agricultural
Officers in protection of his pay and other allowances.
Agricultural crop production needs intensive and continuous inflow and transfer of
technical know how through the basic level Agricultural Officers, who shoulders the total
burden of protecting the interests of the farming community.
In spite of the fact that the earlier P.R.Cs were appraised of the need to uphold the
status and cadre of Agricultural Officers on par with other Technical Cadres, the injustice
trusted on this cadre earlier has flowed down as an ancestral disability. Neglecting the
interest of Agricultural Officers has resulted in disastrous situation in the State.
CHAPTER- V
SERVICE CONDITIONS AND ANALYSIS IN THE PAY SCALES:
The Indian Agricultural economy vested in its foundation on the agricultural
scenario of the country, which has its birth from the field level functionaries efficiency.
The Agricultural Officer is the nucleus of Agricultural production cell envisaged with the
greatest responsibility of dissemination of efficient departmental technologies. This
Association with its long cherished demand to have a befitting Pay scale to the
Agricultural Officer has become a dream come true. Several requests to keep the Pay
scale of Agricultural Officer on par with Medical Officer were in vain and none of the
earlier P.R.Cs came out of the tyranny and encouraged the ordiuous services rendered
by him.
Unlike the Medical Officers sitting in a Clinical room or AC theatres, the
Agricultural Officer has to subject himself to the curses and severities of hot sun, cold
waves, floods and hailstorms in search of his patients growing as agricultural crops and
plants over his jurisdiction.
We are of the sincere opinion that the present PRC will heed to the above prays
and will initiate redressing the anomalies crept in the earlier Pay revisions. Removing
disparities between the Technical cadres does not mean degrading any cadre or
category. It is not too late to give the Agricultural Officer his share of bread earned by him
through “his herculean efforts put in over decades.”
It is obvious on the part of Present PRC to place the Agricultural Officers who are
feeding the country’s population, two steps ahead of Administrative cadres on par with
Technical ones with a pay scale suggested by this Association in the forthcoming
chapters.
CHAPTER- VI
COMPARISON OF PAY STRUCTURES WITH SIMILAR AGRARIAN STATES.
The pay structure of Agricultural Officers in the state was never at par with the
similar cadres in the comparable agrarian states. It is a miserable and pitiable condition
that the Pay structure of Agricultural Officer. in the state has been placed at the rock
bottom stage among all other technical equivalents.
The following comparison of Pay structures existing in the neighbourhood
states
clearly indicate that the emoluments paid to the A.O. in A.P. is far below than his
contemporaries.
S.No. Cadre
Andhra Pradesh
Tamilnadu.
Karnataka
1
A.O.
16150-42590
20700-39100
22800-43200
2
A.D.A.
19050-45850
21000-39100
28100-50100
3
D.D.A.
23650-49360
22200-39100
36300-53850
4
J.D.A.
27000-51760
23200-39100
40050-56550
It can be seen from the above table that the initial pay of the A.O. and other cadres
is far below the pay structure of contemporary posts in other states.
CHAPTER -VII
SUGGESTIONS BY THE ASSOCIATION:
1) PAY SCALES:
As stated in the earlier chapters the P.R.Cs constituted in the previous years
have done irrevocable injustice to the A.O. cadre and this may please be taken on the
record sincerely for breaking the long silence to keep the initial pay of the A.O. at a
higher stage comparative to that of the Medical Officers.
In this connection there is no need to reiterate that the services of the
Agricultural
Officers,
which
involve
tremendous
physical
strain,
tackling
heterogeneous problems and with a heavy strain on mental strengths.
This
Association keeping in view of these multifaceted and Herculean responsibilities
proposed the following scales of Pay for different cadres in the Department of
Agriculture.
S.No. Name of the Post Existing Scale Proposed scale for consideration by
PRC 2013
1
Agril. Officer
16150-42590
2
A.D.A.
19050-45850
3
D.D.A.
23650-49360
4
J.D.A.
27000-51760
5
Addl. DA.
34050-54360
On par with Medical Officers of
Equal Cadre
The proposed pay scales are on par with the Human Doctors, Veterinary
Doctors as the Agricultural Officer is now working as a Plant Doctor in the Plant clinics
attached to him all over the State. The Agricultural Officer who was also shouldering
the responsibility of input distribution, Extension work and implementation of
agricultural allied acts is now on his toes to save the farmer from the state wise crisis
of suicidal deaths.
The A.O. has already assumed the pivotal role of plant doctor from the early
independent days and is the Physician in the identification of Pests and diseases,
malnutrition in plants due to deficiencies of micronutrients up keeping the soil health
by way of advocating a changeover from chemical farming to organic cultivation and
also advocating the farmers of the need for adopting Integrated Pest Management and
Integrated Nutrient Management practices to reduce the various pollutions arising out
of indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers, plant protection chemicals and various
other elements which are highly hazardous to human and all living beings.
The Agricultural Officer is also manifesting himself as a Agricultural economist
in closely advising the farmers to reduce the investment costs duly selecting the
crucial organic inputs which are comparatively available at cheaper rates. His role in
this juncture will attain a global importance in changing the physical, textural and
structural conditions of the soils. Developing biogenetic engineering efficiencies in the
plants to utilize the most available natural resources and also to improve the quality of
final produce in relation to its market preferences long lasting shelf life, existing its
ancestral flavors and tastes, gaining competencies to enter the world trade at par with
the highly Developed countries. This obvious service can’t be obtained by a hungry
stomach with a poor scale of pay and with social insults succumbed by him vowing to
the higher pay scales awarded to his technical colleagues who are considered as
equivalents in all competencies as contemplated in EAMCET.
It is not out of place to mention that the procedure of gliding is resorted to by
the UPSC in the selection of IAS, IRS, IFS and IPS Cadres. So also in EAMCET,
Engineering, Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences are grouped as
professional cadres, which reckon the selections based on their performance and
scales of efficiency. When this was to be the case, there is no need for maintaining
any disparity in respect of A.O. to place him under suitable stage in the master scale
awarded to the state Government employees.
We are sure, if the present PRC does not heed to our request, there would
be an uproar in the farming community of the lack of technical inflow devoid of day to
day farm support leading to a gross upset in the national production and productivity
levels. This situation will directly deteriorate the agricultural economy of the country
resulting in hunger deaths and famines. Already most of the states in particular and
our country in general are facing the curses of nature disabling the farmer to take up
sustained agriculture.
This Association once again recollects the pre and post
independent scales to the Agricultural Officer, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon and
Junior Engineers. Had there been no elusive development in the agriculture sector,
there would not have been the steep increase in the establishment of dairies, poultries
and the extension of animal husbandry department.
Considering the award of scales of pay is exclusively with the courses studied,
number of credit hours and the duration of study there is however no justice is relying
on this theory. A matriculate under graduate who have joined as a desk cadre staff by
virtue of promotion channels are working as Tahsildars, RDOs etc.
These
administration cadres which do not require any professional studies or technical
courses are kept ahead of the A.O. Even in the technical cadres much disparity was
shown irrespective of any scale of norms.
In the previous PRCs there was no clear-cut mandate for fixing up the revised
pay scales either based on the course duration in the professional courses or on the
experience gained in the Government services from the date of entry or the nature of
their duties. In case of the Agricultural Officer at Mandal level he has been entrusted
with heterogeneous activities like supervision of electorate enumeration, holding
additional charges of MPDOs and MROs, Supervision of
Agricultural Produce
procurement centres, Ration cards distribution, grounding the housing schemes etc.
along with their regular job chart duties.
Where as officers of other technical
departments like Veterinary officers, Medical Officers are just sticking on to their job
chart without any extra departmental activities.
2) INCREMENTS:
It is rather a common phenomenon that after every revision of Pay scales the
juniors are getting a higher or equal pay with that of his seniors and this discrepancy
need be neutralized by way of the sanction of weightage at periodical intervals
depending on the length of service.
The automatic advancement scheme should provide pay for a senior ahead his
junior to rectify the anomaly crept in due to the sanction of SPP scales.
Incentive increments for the candidates who have procecuted M.Sc. (Ag.) and
Ph.D shall be revoked in view of the availability of highly qualified persons to an entry
cadre post like A.O. which requires the needed encouragement.
Government through GO Ms.No 69 dt 28.10.2010 AH, Dairy Development &
Fisheries(AH-1) Department has providing allowances to Veterinary doctors for
possessing higher qualification as a result of recommendations of the 9 th PRC.
MANAGE conducts a PG Diploma course for Agriculture and allied departments for
which the Veterinary doctors are getting the allowance and the Agriculture Officers
possessing the same are not getting that benefit.
We request the similar facility to the Agriculture Department also.
3) SPECIAL ALLOWANCE TO OFFICERS WORKING IN LABS AND STATE SEED
FARMS
Officers of our Department from the cadres of Agril. Officers to Deputy Directors
are working in fertilizer, Seeds and Pesticide Testing Labs and also in State Seed
Multiplication Farms. The Officers working as Analysts in Pesticide testing Labs are
handling different contact and systemic Insecticides which are deadly poisons and
also using strong acids in analysis and are exposed to strong fumes emitted during
the course of analysis, which are resulting in health hazards particularly related to
Lungs, skin and eyes. Similarly Officers working in Fertilizer Analytical Labs are using
deadly chemicals like Cynamide in analysis and regularly exposed to Sulphur fumes
which result in respiratory problems.
Officers working in State Seed farms which are generally located in far away areas
from towns need to move around the farms regularly where wild reptiles like Snakes
and other poisonous creatures also seen frequently which are life threat to Officers.
In PRC 2005 special pay of 5% is provided for officers in seed farms located 8 KM
out side municipal limits and to those staff who are actually staying in the farm.
Considering the hazardous conditions in which the Officers are working we
request to kindly sanction of Special Allowance of 10% of Basic Pay to the
Officers working in all the seed farms without conditions and same may please
be extended to all the officers working in all the categories of laboratories.
4) CONVEYANCE:
It is pertinent to mention here that most of the politicians, bureaucrats and officers
of the department state that the Agricultural staff at the field level are keeping away from
the fields and farmers. Though this criticism is far from truth, it is to be admitted that the
government have totally failed in providing main basic amenities for their conveyance.
The M.A.O. or the Asst. Director of Agriculture at the mandal and divisional level
respectively have to intensively tour and closely monitor the crop condition and the
practices being adopted by the farmers. The MAO has a jurisdiction of 20-25 villages and
the ADA has 3-8 mandals as his jurisdiction.
It is very easy and deliberate to criticize a situation without analyzing the
infrastructural facilities available, amenities provided and the remuneration paid for
discharging a scheduled duty by an individual technician entrusted by a Government or
any other organization.
Before resorting to the negative approach and the reverse
advocacy it is the bound responsibility of the management to look into the minimum
amenities.
The Association, as such emphasizes, the PRC to strictly advice the Government
for providing a regular conveyance by way of a government vehicle, probably a twowheeler for an A.O and a 4 wheeler for the Divisional Asst. Director of Agriculture. In lieu
of this, funds shall be provided for hiring in a private vehicle through out the year where
the Agricultural operations would be carried out all through the 12 calendar months or as
per the necessity.
5) PROVISION OF CLASS IV ASSISTANCE:
A short glance of look back into the establishment patterns of the department of
Agriculture, since post independent days reveal that the present A.O. was maintaining the
status of a Tahsildhar when he was taluk Agricultural Demonstrator in charge of
agricultural department and that of an MRO/MDO in the present pattern. The post of A.O.
stood in the 1st order in the Panchayat Raj system when Panchayat Samithi set up with
Blocks as their jurisdiction.
Government has provided class IV services to the taluk Agril. Demonstrators,
Samithi level agricultural Extension officers and similar cadres up to 1987. Since the
introduction of mandal system, the A.O was neither provided with permanent officer
accommodation nor an assistance by way of an attender.
It is also pertinent to mention that the post of A.O. was made gazetted with effect
from 28-10-1975. The gazetting was in a form
of hermaphrodite status, either with
gazetted facilities or non-gazetted allowances. This status of keeping the post in an
hanging heaven resulted in the slow withdrawal of all the earlier provisions and making
the post gazetted was treated as an eye wash. The gazetting of the post of Agricultural
Officer had at no instance of time provided him with the necessary status or cadre but
only was useful to attest testimonials and certificates which requires the signature of a
Gazetted officer.
This Association therefore impresses upon the present PRC to provide at least one
attender to the Agricultural Officer and also suitable assistance to the Asst. Director of
Agriculture at mandal and divisional levels respectively so that it will not only enhance the
moral status of the officers but also keep them on par with MRO/MDO/RDO, the
administrative cadres.
6) OFFICE ACCOMODATION:
Inspite of several efforts made by this association in convincing the government to
provide mini office accommodation to the Agril. Officer at mandal level, it became a
fantasy and 50% of A.Os. in the state do run their offices from the varanda
offices, and
in
dilapidated
of MDO
buildings. We can imagine this fatal stage and the
disruptive and negligent attitude of the government in providing minimum accommodation
to a gazetted officer to a state Government.
Even though, it is too late the government should open its eye and think of
providing mini office accommodation to the Agricultural Officer at mandal level. Since
1987, after the mandal setup agricultural information centers were established with a
boomerang and slowly over a period of years the government left these centers to air
stating that the government will not pay any rents to the private building owner and that
they may take shelter under the ruined
roof of any AMC, MPDOs office or as the
Agricultural Officer likes.
If this were to be the attention of the government for providing office
accommodation to the Agricultural Officer, one can imagine the efficiency of his work turn
out. It is very easy to blast him of his lapses without funding the anaerobic conditions
under which he is working.
This association is taking the risk of reminding the present PRC in a sophisticated
way as its earlier umpteen hues and cries were in vain.
7) FIXED TRAVEL ALLOWANCE:
Field staff at the mandal level and the officers at the district level are being paid
FTA for their tours which is very meager, in the present day of inflated price index values.
This association submits to the PRC to recommend for a minimum FTA of
Rs 2500/- for the Agricultural Officer and Rs. 3000/- to the divisional Asst. Director of
Agriculture.
Regarding DA, house rent allowance and additional charge allowances the same
may kindly be provided on par with equal cadres.
CHAPTER-VIII
CRUCIAL INFORMATION FOR CONSIDERATION OF AWARDING A PRESENT
PAY SCALE BY THE PRC.
1. Among the various cadres in the Agricultural department from Agricultural
Officer to the Additional Director of agriculture the entry level cadre is the only
one crushed with all disparities and quoted with anomalies.
2. The Post of Agricultural Officer is being filled up with candidates possessing
B.Sc.
(Ag)
/M.Sc.
(Ag.)
/Ph.D
unlike
with
ordinary
graduates
Botany/Chemistry/Home Science as done in the earlier years.
3. Technical proficiency has increased in all the candidates even at the entry level
by virtue of their rigorous academic stream lining.
4. Subjects like Physiology, Breeding, Chemistry are dealt with on par with
Medical sciences apart from Agronomy, Soil Science, Entomology, Mycology,
Post harvest technology, Agril. Engineering, Social forestry and the like.
5. Being the Plant Doctor himself, the Agricultural Officer at the entry level runs
more or less a plant clinic in the farmers fields for the identification of crop
illness and suggesting remedies for it.
6. The Job of Agricultural Officer is of more risky in nature, technical in its working
pattern and highly humanitarian under public relations.
7. Chances of improving the technical calibers are provided through various
training programmes handled by reputed institutions like Dr MCR HRD
institution, MANAGE, SAMETI, WALAMTARI, NIRD, ICRISAT, CRIDA, DRR,
ARI etc.
8. Candidate entering the Department of Agriculture as an Agricultural Officer has
to manifest himself into different formats of PRO, Plant doctor Agricultural
Economist, Marketing Manager, Banker, Insurance agency, Agricultural
engineer and a microbiologist to lead the future agriculture towards organic
farming.
9. He shoulders the responsibility of avoiding hunger strikes and takes care of the
country from the problems of famines due to decreased food production.
10. He is 24 hours farmers’ servant all through the calendar year and whose
services are to be recongnised and rewarded suitably.
(Dr.D.Praveen)
General Secretary
To
The Tenth Pay Revision Commissioner,
Government of AndhraPradesh,
Hyderabad.
Sir,
Sub: PRC 2013 – Memorandum submitted – Reg.
Ref: 1.Lr no 340-E/21/PRC 1/2013-104-1 dt 15.7.2013
2. DO letter no 342-D/20/PRC 1/2013-14 dt. 12.7.
*****
In pursuance of the instructions contained in the letter cited, we are herewith
submitting the memorandum explaining the request of our Association for revision of Pay
scales of different categories of officers of Department of Agriculture.
We request that our proposals may kindly be considered at the time of finalising
the Pay scales under your Honourable stewardship.
Thanking you sir.
Encl: Memorandum.
Yours faithfully
(Dr.D.Praveen)
General Secretary